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Macro Photography Tip: Spraying Flowers
Jake O'Connell posted a comment, sharing his Ringlight in the CD Spindle Ringflash post. When doing this he also reminded me of a great macro tip. This photography tip is extremely useful when photographing flowers, but also when photographing "cold" drinks. It can also be applied when photographing some surfaces.
If you are a seasoned macro photographer, you can skip this tip, otherwise, keep reading.
If you want your flower to look fresh all you need to do is spray it with some water. You can use a simple spray bottle - they are sold in pennies.
For wake up and smell the grass at 4 am light dew like effect spray just a little bit. and stop.
Image by Dr. Antonio Comia
For heavier OH-My-GOD-IT-RAINED-CATS-AND-DOGS effect spray more and more, until big drops start to form.
Image by Ar. Hilmy
Do you have other macro tips? Share them in the comments.
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Comments
I'm having one of those
I'm having one of those why-I-didn't-came-up-with-this-earlier moments. Simple, but ingenious tip. Big thanks.
You can mix the water with
You can mix the water with some glycerine before applying it. That way it is more likely to stay where you sprayed it and it won't run as easily.
dew on... spraying w/ water & glycerin
you may also benefit from adding/mixing a little glycerin to your water. It will make the water droplets hold shape longer. which would mean less spraying to replenish the droplets. & of course play with the water to glycerin ratio for desired effect. my $0.02's. hope this helps.
Macro
Udi awesome post.
The bottom image is good, focus is spot on and the exposure is alright. What will let it down is the light on the top of each droplet.
You cannot fool the minds eye there is something wrong with the image. it feels artificial.
OK how do you correct it. The answer is really simple. Place two black cards parallel either side of the subject. This will reflect giving a false horizon line in the droplet. They do not need to be in shot. The overhead light source should simulate the sky. White card acting as a roof over the subject is a good idea. If you fire a strobe through it, the card becomes a false sky with limited fall off. The black cards either side absorb the light and this improves the false horizon.
If you are shooting at f45 at a 60/sec or 125/sec you can really turn up the strobes and the detail will be fantastic. If you want a halo of lights, Set the camera to bulb and experiment with additive flash which is awesome fun.
The next biggest tip is to have sheet of card with a lens sized hole through it to poke your lens through. This will prevent your studio being reflected at you from the water drop.
If you want to try some abstract water drops, a pin head applying a drop of petrol or oil will give you a fantastic hues and rainbow colours. Or suspend some glitter, gelatin can prolong the longevity. Macro is awesome fun.
Cheers Rich
spraying flowers
Check out your local department stores travel section for a dollar or two you should find a small sspray bottle designed to hold hairspray they only hold a few onces but fit in shirt pocket and can be refilled from the your drinking water bottle if you carry one.
Awesome tip
I love that this is there when we see pictures, but is a detail we surely miss, and thanks for reminding us!
Glycerol instead of water
You can also use glycerol(glycerine) instead of water or in mixture with water. Drops will be shinier, bigger and, more important, they will not dry.
Glycerol can be bought in drug stores, for example, it's quite cheap.
re: spray
@Fuzzy, henry - Thanks guys
@cardob, lonelyhome - darn! I knew I forgot something. Thanks for adding this great tip.
@Rich - A big Kudos. Those are awsome tips. especially the one with the black cards. I must remember that option when doing still life.
Macro Photography
Some great tips above, definately going to try adding glycarine to the water, and try the black card faux horizon.
Thanks
Chris
Nice
Great tips, I need to start doing some more macro stuff myself, i think a new lens is in order! :)
Macro water drops
I forgot another tip, if you are shooting tin can with water drops on sometimes it helps to lay the can horizontal. Shoot portrait and rotate it in your favourite program. Why horizontal? Water drops stay in position longer before running off. If you want you could put a prop arm through the rear and insert the prop through a large sheet of card and you can get a hovering effect. Now if you want a sterile background without damp patches it is easier just curve the card into a L shape one side the rear wall the other being the floor.
I had to shoot a climber with a frosted helmet, scarve and gloves, spray on snow from a christmas shop does the trick.
Got to go
Rich
good tips
These are all very good tips. I really have to try the tip using glycerin.
where?
where to buy the glycerin?
re: glycerin
Glycerin is very common, You can get it on Amazon, or on your local pharmacy.
The uncommon element is Nitro-Glycerin, how ever that one can be obtained at ACME store ;)
cant get it
i'm shooting the refraction... on glass
i still cant get the fresh look.. even adding glycerin.. maybe i'm doing wrong while mixing the glycerin with water... i want to now how create this fresh look.. take a look at this picture.. and anyone? have any ideas?
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/2873393574_ca5a8833e0.jpg
Glycerol on glass - Photography
You might keep in mind that glycerol has a very similar refractivity index compared to glass. This means that the droplets will lack definition and contrast when placed on glass (the droplet edges will blend in with the glass). Good luck!
Syafiq
Syafiq - I think the biggest problem you have here is that white border on all the drops. It looks like you need to block something out from being refracted. It shows up on EVERY drop, which means that all the drops look weird. Look for bright spots from the side, put in a black cutter board of some type, and see if it doesn't change the look a lot.
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